Concerned About Irregular Heartbeat? Use Kardia Band

Do you use an Apple Watch and want to know if your irregular heartbeat is normal or a symptom of heart disease?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an accessory made by AliveCor called Kardia Band that can detect irregular heart rhythm.

An irregular heartbeat that is serious and not detected early can cause stroke, blood clots, or heart disease.

How It Works

According to a Fast Company article, Kardia Band fastens to either a 38mm or 42mm Apple Watch like any other watch band.

A user puts a finger on the sensor pad embedded in the band, allowing an EKG reading to be taken.

“The Kardia Band then sends the EKG reading to the Apple Watch through a high-pitch audio signal where it’s shown in real time as a moving waveform. When the 30-second EKG is finished, the user can view it on their phone or easily send the results as a PDF to their physician.”

While the EKG can be done at home, a user should consult a doctor if the Kardia Band tells you that something is not normal.

According to AliveCor, Kardia Band is the first AI-enabled platform to help clinicians manage patients for the early detection of atrial fibrillation (AFib) – the most common cardiac arrhythmia that can lead to stroke.

AliveCor is headed by former Googler Vic Gundotra and “is a pioneer in the development of FDA-cleared machine learning techniques to enable proactive heart care and is recognized around the world for transforming cardiac care.”

What’s Next?

AliveCor has developed a band that’s an accessory to Apple Watch and can detect irregular heart rhythm.